Re: Please join our 'Homebrewers' International Grid Computing Team
- From: Steve Bonine <spb@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:57:05 -0500
Bill Velek wrote:
Ben Crowell wrote:Bill Velek wrote:
How much valuable computing time are you wasting while your computer is idle when you are on the phone, taking a break, etc.? Don't waste that power on just a screen saver; use it to help find cures for diseases by joining our team -- still ranked in the Top-100 out of over 20,000 teams.
If your computer has a good power-saving mode, then the thing to do IMO
is to help fight global warming by allowing that to kick in, so it stops
using much electricity. Screensavers are technologically obsolete (CRT
screens don't burn in images anymore, and most people are switching to
flat screens anyway), so for anyone who's still got one installed, the
right thing to do for the environment is to deactivate it.
Well, that is true, Ben; however, I didn't go into all the intracacies of grid computing and how our computers are usually 90% idle most of the time, including times when we really wouldn't want them deactivated as you've suggested -- such as while reading email and newsgroup posts. I mean, during the minute or so that it might take you to read a post, you might scroll a time or two; during all of that time, your computer could be doing important non-profit medical research. Likewise when you pause to think of something while composing a message or document, etc. And you don't want your computer shutting down every time you reach for a file, get a cup of coffee, or use the phone for a minute or two. And technically, the grid program will collect any spare power even while you work, such as the split seconds between each keystroke while you are typing. By doing so, the World Community Grid has collected over 186 THOUSAND _YEARS_ of computer time, of which our "Homebrewers" team has contributed at least something significant because every little bit helps. Besides, it's almost effortless to join and participate.
I have a couple of issues with this concept.
Can you point to anything tangible that has actually been accomplished using the technique? I've never heard any breakthrough announced with acknowledgment that grid computing was used in its development. I did a little reading and all I found was boasts of organizations that had built huge networks capable of vast amounts of calculations . . . is that the end in itself? Where are the actual tangible results?
More important are the security implications. The first problem is installing third-party executables on my system -- I'd have to be awfully confident that the software was legitimate before installing it. But even if I were so convinced, installing such software potentially weakens the network security of my system. If Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, and every other well-regarded software developer have managed to slip up and include vulnerabilities in their software that can be exploited by hackers to take over systems where their software was installed, I'm not about to add yet-another potential exposure from software developed by a company whose primary business is research, not software.
So my current take is high risk, zero benefit. Actual facts that would change my mind would be appreciated. But spare me things like "your computer could be doing important non-profit medical research" unless you can provide real information that demonstrates that it's important.
.
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